Ok, you asked for it.  *standing up straight and no longer talking about ones-self in the multiple person* All 
other joking aside. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. "Why?" you ask?
	I could go on and on about this scripture or that scripture. However, I won't do that. I would only come 
across as a "Bible banger". I don't want to do that. To me religion is a very personal experience. It is in that 
view that I want to share with you my testimony of the church.
	My conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints happened when I was 18, right after my 
brother died. To top it off my long distance "girlfriend" had just dumped me. I was looking for answers. Years ago
I had requested a Book of Mormon. I saw one of the commercials, and what 14/15 year old can resist free stuff being 
mailed to them?
Understand, I never read it, but it was still cool to get something in the mail. *smile*
	So after my brother died, I dug out my copy of the Book of Mormon and started reading it. This went on for a
few days before my mother found out. The first words out of her mouth were "You know those people believe in multiple 
marriages...". Well this took me by surprise, but I knew it was not entirely true. Something in my heart prompted me 
to read further, and I did.
	This went on for a couple more days before my mother tried a different tactic. She bought me a copy of "Secret 
Ceremonies". It was written by a woman who was a former member of the church, and tried to write a tell all book about 
the church. She basically blamed the church for her having THREE bad marriages, being sexually active at a young age, 
and a host of other things. A woman with a chip on her shoulder to put it bluntly. Well this book, intended to pull me 
away from my investigation of the church, had the opposite effect. It drove me towards it. I read the book, cover to 
cover in a few days. However, while I knew what this woman was saying was true, I felt it was only partially true. A lie
of omission is still a lie.
	So I confronted my best friend who happened to be a member of the church. He was a little startled to say the 
least. I had been studying the Book of Mormon and had a number of questions about the church. As it turns out, he was 
actually going to be asking me if I was in any way interested in learning about the church. The next Sunday I had my 
first discussion. I was a little bit skeptical, but figured I had nothing to lose. So with a slight sense of apprehension, 
I sat down with the missionaries. They were nothing like I has imagined. I accepted the Book of Mormon challenge, to read
it, ponder it, and ask God if it was indeed the word of God. It is hard to explain the feeling that came over me when I 
knelt at my bedside that night. It was as if a great calm had washed over me, a warm fuzzy blanket being wrapped around 
me. Yet in the middle of this calm and warm feeling, came a great sense of every nerve in my body being called to attention
and energized. When I think of that moment I still can feel that same feeling. I had asked God, and had received my answer 
immediately.
	I took to the gospel like a fish to water. For the first time in my life I found something that made sense. My 
mother on the other hand was still very much  opposed to any interest I had in the church. She did not want to hear me 
talking about the church in the house, and she definitely did not want the missionaries in the house. This distressed me 
greatly. So I knelt down one night before bed and asked Heavenly Father to soften her heart to the church, I did not ask 
for her to convert, but to allow me to follow what I felt was right. The next morning my mother woke me up saying "You 
know, if you really want to have those missionaries over, I guess it would be alright". I was elated, once again I had 
seen Heavenly Fathers gentle power.
	After that it was full steam ahead. I flew through the rest of the discussions like I had been born into the 
Church. All too soon, my baptismal day arrived. Easter Sunday of all days... now THAT is a powerful day to
be baptized.  I remember thinking, as I entered the baptismal waters that my whole life was about to change, and 
that I was about to start living for something greater and better then myself. As my friend Chris submerged me in
the water, I could almost feel the sin washing off me, and I emerged as pure and innocent as a newborn baby. It had 
to be one of the finest moments of my life.
	I would like to leave you with the knowledge that I know the Church is true. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet 
of God. I know that the Savior lives and has revealed much to us. I also know that there is much more to be revealed 
about the Kingdom of God. We are truly living in the latter days, and while the shepard has scattered his flocks far 
and wide, very soon will he cast forth his hand, and gather them together to live with him.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

UPDATE: On November 14th, 1998 both my wife and my mother entered the baptismal waters and became members of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Read my wife's testimony.

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